About Me

Hello, my name is Valorie. I have a Master's Degree in History and a license to teach-- I have been both university professor and public school teacher. Currently, I am a middle school social studies teacher. I love horror movies and spooky things. Every day is Halloween. I am also a passionate book blogger.

Friday, August 4, 2017

Excerpt: The Invasion by T.H. Hernandez

Excerpt:

I open my eyes and immediately slam them shut. Something is beating on my skull with a hammer, and the smell of alcohol swamps me. With care, I pry my eyelids up, squinting against the harsh light. Confusion hits me hard, my brain is fuzzy as hell, and my mouth is as dry as the summer desert. My eyes regain focus, zeroing in on the lime green vinyl in front of me. I’m on a commuter train with no clue how I got here.

The reek of booze is evidently coming from my pores. I rub my hands over my face and slide out of my seat, heading for the doors. The floor slopes under me and my guts lurch, ready to expel their contents. I swallow and breathe through my nose until the urge passes. When we pull to a stop, I step out into a station and head for the closest map. I’m only a few stops away from the coast. Right, I was heading to the beach. Must’ve fallen asleep.

I could use a walk to clear my head, and opt for walking the rest of the way. The last thing I remember was going to a bar to get drunk. Apparently, I accomplished that.

In fact, I fucking nailed it.

A vision of a brunette comes into focus. Flirting, drinks, dancing, her body rubbing up and down mine before she led me back to her place. Before I ran from her like some emotional girl. I can’t even do a revenge fuck properly.

The pain that started in my head is now rampaging through my body. I exit the tunnel as the sun slips above the horizon, casting a pink glow. The briny air hits my lungs and some of the tension erodes. Not a lot, but enough that maybe I can figure out my next move. I walk over to the boardwalk and kick off my shoes before sinking my toes into the sand. The pounding in my head subsides with each deep breath I take and each step closer to the ocean. When I reach the water’s edge, I wade in and let the gentle surf lick my ankles. The cool water bites at my feet, allowing me to focus on something other than my hangover or the sight of a half-naked dickwad in my girlfriend’s hotel room.

I still don’t know what to do. Going back out to the Ruins and being back in that house without her might be too much. Maybe it’s time to settle someplace new, somewhere I’ve never been. First I owe it to everyone to let them know what I’m doing.

My shoulders drop with the weight of my decision, and with a slow pivot, I head back toward dry sand.

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About T.H. Hernandez:

When not visiting the imaginary worlds inside my head, I live in San Diego, California, with one husband, three children, two cats, and one dog. In addition to my day job as a technical writer and editor, I write young adult fiction. I love the intensity of teen emotions and the way they're still figuring out life. When I'm not writing, you can find me with my nose in a book, hanging out with family and friends, hiking, or knitting. I'm obsessed with Facebook, young adult novels, bad lip reading videos, pumpkin spice lattes, microbrewed beers, and the San Diego Chargers.